Amnesia: Justine Wagon Wheels
by Abby the Band Nerd
Summary: Violinist Malo de Vigny ran off with Justine Florbelle a month ago, leaving Malo's lover and accompanist Elizabeth Letellier behind. When Justine is arrested, Elizabeth runs off to her abandoned manor to search for her lover. However when she finds him, she is forced to face the reality that the man who'd once stolen her heart has somehow become a cannibalistic monster.
1. Prologue

**Author's Note: WARNING: THIS PROLOGUE IS UTTERLY AWFUL. If I read it, and stopped at the prologue... yeah, I wouldn't want to read the story either... I'm going to tell you: this story starts off rather slow (well, not slow, but pretty terrible), and gets good. So please, just because you don't like the beginning, don't stop reading! It _does_ get good, rest assured! Please, do check it out, and tell me what you think! **

_"Are you sure you're okay with this, Elizabeth?" asked Malo, as he placed his hands gently on my shoulders. Hearing his voice speak my name had always made me feel welcome, but now I choked back on my tears and looked right into his beautiful green eyes._

_ "You're the one who's deciding to marry her, it's your choice, not mine," I spoke, my voice cracking from the cry I'd restrained in my throat. He pulled his arms around me and kissed my forehead._

_ "I'm one of three of her suitors, Elizabeth. We're not officially engaged to marry, I'm just an option. You and I can still be together, if that's what's worrying you," he whispered, as if someone might hear him. I bit down on my bottom lip._

_ "That would be unfair to Justine. If you're convinced she may marry you, then why the hell would you continue to lay with me?" I asked, and he pulled back a bit to look me in the eye._

_ "If you loved me, Elizabeth, then I wouldn't have even considered Justine. Do you love me, Elizabeth?" he asked. The truth tried to escape, but was caught in a trap at the bottom of my heart._

_ "I can't love you," I whispered, and the tears fell from my eyes as I turned away from Malo and went back to my room to hate myself for lying to his face._

**Author's Note: Hey guys! I told you I'd start this thing soon enough! Ok, so I don't reeeally like the prologue, but I promise the story's going to be wonderful! Ok, this is (obviously) OCxMalo, if you don't accept it, then either don't read or just enjoy the story! The rating on this is T, but it's going to be one of those "pushing the border of M" type pieces. Please, if you aren't mature enough to read this: don't. Until next time, au dieu!**


	2. 1 Still Out There

_"My God, you're Malo de Vigny… I'm a fan; oh I'm probably one of your greatest admirers. I'm so honored that_ _I get to work with you… Look at this, I'm about to cry!" I exclaimed, as the redhead laughed a bit, and took a bow. _

_ "Well Mademoiselle, it just __so__ happens that I'm a fan of yours, myself. So, let the honor be mine. After all, you're the more beautiful of the two of us," he spoke, taking my hand and kissing it. My heart beat a bit faster, and I blushed. _

_ "So, um… I've been told you have your music memorized? That's wonderful. Let's start from the top," I suggested, and Malo nodded, unfastening the buttons on his violin case and he picked up his instrument, holding it under his chin with perfect posture. _

"Elizabeth? Would you mind taking the tempo down? I can't play this fast," complained the young blonde woman, her fingers slipping around the bow of her violin, the instrument sliding around the slope of her shoulder. I bit my lip to keep from screaming at her, and took a deep breath.

"Rachelle, the song is much faster than what I'm playing it. I've already had to take it down four times since you've started playing here. I mean this as a friendly critique: you're a terrible musician, and you need to get the hell out of my recital hall," I spoke at first, my words escalating to a shout as the young violinist started to cry. I slammed my elbows down on the piano as I buried my head in my hands. "I'm sorry, Rachelle, I need to go back to my room for a moment and take a breather, okay?" I asked, and without an answer, I walked behind the main hall, entering my room and sliding my back down the door until I was on the ground. I could hear footsteps headed out to the failed rehearsal. I knew it was Claire, who'd been cleaning up after my fits with the new violinists.

"I would ask what happened here, but I've seen Mademoiselle Letellier and the way she acts, so I know. Are you alright darling?" I could hear Claire trying to tend to Rachelle from the other room.

"I'm fine. Has she always been this bitter?" asked Rachelle, and I knew what Claire would answer. I braced myself for the impact that was about to occur.

"Mademoiselle Letellier was very close to old violinist, Malo de Vigny. He disappeared from here a month ago with a Mademoiselle Florbelle," she started to explain. "Monsieur de Vigny was Elizabeth's lover, I assume at least. Ever since he went away, she's been… not herself. She hasn't heard from him since he left," she finished. It was silent for a moment.

"Florbelle... Do you mean, perhaps, _Justine_ Florbelle?" Rachelle asked quietly, her voice sounding rather disturbed by something.

"Yes, her name was Justine. Do you know Mademoiselle Florbelle?" asked Claire, curiosity grasping the edge of her words.

"Well, not personally. Have you not heard? She was arrested and executed for murder last week," Rachelle spoke, and my heart felt as if it were about to stop. _Had she killed Malo!?_ I was becoming lightheaded at this point.

"Who did she kill!?" exclaimed Claire, clearly in shock.

"They suspected her of murder, and found books on torture in her library. That was enough for them to put her to death. They never found any bodies. However, the man they suspect that she killed was named Alois Racine. The rumor is that he fell madly in love with her and she used it against him to lead him to his death. However, there is no proof that any of it is true. He may not even be dead," Rachelle said, obviously very well caught up on the rumor mill. A flood of relief swept over me, and the sick feeling went away. _Malo could still be alive. _I stood up and left my room, grabbing my coat off of the rack and putting it on. When I got out to the main hall, both of the women were staring at me.

"I heard everything. Ladies, I'm going to be leaving for a while. Claire, watch after the recital hall; it's my pride and joy. If that piano gets broken while I'm gone I might scream," I spoke, and Claire's eyes widened.

"Elizabeth, don't tell me that you're-" she gasped, and dramatically clutched her hands to her mouth.

"Not going to the Florbelle manor? Of course I am, Malo could be alive!" I squealed. Maybe I was crazy, but that had never stopped me before.

"Non! You can't! Mademoiselle, that manor isn't yours to invade! You could get lost, or maybe killed!" she exclaimed. I rolled my eyes.

"By what, a door? Window? Justine isn't there, she was put to death. The worst that could happen is-" I trailed off, knowing exactly what it was. "I may never see Malo _alive_ again, but he's still there, I _know_ this! Claire, Rachelle, I'm really sorry to abandon you like this but the risk is worth it! I'll buy food in case he hasn't eaten, clothing in case he's not been dressed… I'll be prepared to see him," I spoke, and realized how childishly unrealistic I sounded at the moment. This wasn't like visiting a stray animal; Malo was probably dead.

"Elizabeth, this is a foolish idea. What makes you think he's alive?" asked Claire, and I lowered my head.

"I don't know. I just think that my life would be a little more relaxed if he were back at the Grand Hall," I explained. _Because even if he didn't love me, I loved him. _The words stayed bit back in my throat, as I turned to head out.

_"How do you do that?" I asked, truly amazed by the beautiful music Malo was producing. Piano had more keys, but it seemed greatly simpler than the violin. Malo smiled and tilted his music stand back to set his violin down. _

_ "Come here, and I'll show you," he spoke, and I got up to join him. I stood there for a moment, until he motioned toward the violin, and I picked it up. I tried to mimic the flawless poise he used in holding it, but couldn't come close. He placed his left hand over mine, which held the violin, while my right hand clutched the bow. "Hold it parallel to the floor, and angle it forwards or left. Either way works fine," he explained, and I did so. He smiled and nodded._

_ "Now what?" I asked, and he looked at the bow._

_ "I assume you don't know how to play, am I correct?" he asked, and I nodded. Keeping his left hand over mine to hold the violin in place, he took his right hand and wrapped it around mine so he had the control of the bow, while I maintained the grip. "You slide the bow with your right hand," he spoke rather quietly as he pushed my hand forwards and gently pulled it back, causing the violin to cry out a pitiful two notes. "And with your left hand, you move your fingers along the fingerboard, kind of like piano." I tapped my fingertips against the wooden neck, and pushed forward the bow, making the violin screech its way into an unpleasant wail._

_ "That sounded like a cat being smashed with a brick," I muttered, and Malo gave me a concerned look. "Hypothetically, of course. As obnoxious as the cats outside of my room get at night, I wouldn't dream of harming them. I couldn't hurt another living creature unless it was attacking me, and that was my only option," I explained, and Malo chuckled. _

_ "So you're one of those passive, non-violent people? That's sweet," he complimented, his hands still clutched around mine. _

_ "I wouldn't say passive. I can get rather aggressive with my words, if provoked," I explained, and he pushed his fingers forwards, causing them to slide between my own and the bow to fall to the ground._

_ "Don't worry about that, it won't break when it falls," he spoke, and I could feel him breathing against the back of my neck. "Am I too close? If so, I'll back off. You're just gorgeous and sometimes I can't help myself," he spoke, and I felt heat rise to my face._

_ "I'm fine, Monsieur," I whispered, and turned so I could see his face. I set the violin down on the edge of the piano, and put my hands in front of my waist, so his arms were around me. He took a hand up to the side of my face, twirling a lock of my golden hair around his index finger._

_ "Even a renowned musician has a weakness in women," he muttered, kissing the side of my neck, and then my mouth. I knew there was no love here, and that selfish lust was the only explanation for either of our behaviors. I didn't complain; I just went along with it. After all, I was probably his greatest admirer. _

**Author's Note: Ok! I don't know if you can read it (it didn't show up on my laptop) but the prologue had an author's note stating that I didn't like the prologue but the story would be good (and full of flashbacks). Also, I explained that this **_**is**_** rated teen but will probably teeter on the edge of mature at times. Please, if you're not mature enough to handle it don't keep reading. ALSO! The note for this chapter… I know I totally rushed the first chapter: the recital hall part was really a boring idea I had, and was originally only going to make it half a chapter long, and not include the flashback at the end. Also, please don't start calling Elizabeth a Mary-Sue and let me tell you why. Malo and Elizabeth are not in love, their relationship is pure lust (they have a sexual relationship without love). The only reason he came on to her is because he's a (bad stereotype of a) man. He saw Elizabeth of an object of desire, and being such a fan of his talent (and the fact that he's pretty handsome) she sees him the same way up until much later in the flashbacks (because it's clear in the present that she's developed love for him). That, and as we progress in the story (spoilers for those of you who didn't read the description or have never played Amnesia: Justine) Malo just wants to eat her, because of what happened to him when he ran off with Justine (play the game or keep reading!) Please, if you like it: review, tell your friends about it, have them review! I'd love your guys' opinions on my writing! Until next time, Au dieu! (I think that's how it's spelled?)**


	3. 2 Florbelle Estate

_In the morning I awoke to golden rays of sunlight seeping in through my window and striking me over my eyes. I let them flutter open, and smiled a little when I saw Malo lying next to me, his arms laced around my body. My head rested against his bare chest, and with each sleeping breath he took, I wanted to succumb to my own drowsiness. I knew that I shouldn't, and neither should he; we both had rehearsal today. I pulled myself out of his arms, going over to my wardrobe to pick out a dress to wear. Malo turned over on his back, still not very awake. I decided on a blue gown and dressed myself rather quickly. I shouldn't take my leisurely time to get ready for a rehearsal. I went to the vanity that sat on the wall, examining my hair which was rather knotted and messy from the previous night's engagements. I pulled it back in my hands, readying myself to throw it up in a bun, but upon turning my head to the side and noticing a bruised patch on the side of my neck, I decided it was best to leave it down and brush it out that day._

_ "Elizabeth, are you going to come back to bed?" Malo murmured sleepily from the mattress, not even getting up to dress himself._

_ "Now, Malo. As much as I would enjoy crawling back under the covers and giving in to you again, I have a rehearsal today, and so do you. Get dressed and get ready to work," I instructed, and Malo groaned and pulled a pillow over his face. _

_ "Fine," he mumbled, and got up to pick out clothing for today's rehearsal. For the first time since the end of last night's rehearsal, I realized how wrong what had happened was. The full realization that I had decided to entertain myself and the violinist struck me like a bolt of lightning, and I felt like an idiot. Without acknowledging it, I opened the door and left my room to go warm up._

The Florbelle Estate was probably the most terrifying building I'd ever encountered. The entry door loomed over me, casting an uninviting shadow down upon the front step where I stood. An old brass knocker of a gargoyle's face with what appeared to be a wagon wheel decoration hanging from its mouth was fastened into the top of the door, and it hadn't been touched in quite some time. I grabbed for the knob and gave it a twist, and when a pop sounded I gave the door a hearty shove with my shoulder until it gave way. I stepped inside carefully, as if someone were there. The door gave a tremendous thud as it slammed shut behind me, causing a cloud of dust to fly out from the doorframe. I decided it would be best to walk around the house in search of Malo.

I grabbed a lantern from off of the wall; it was lined with assortments of them as if there was a collection. While examining the wall, a certain device caught my attention. It was tubed with gold and had a large bell like a horn, but it was attached to a little wooden box. I knew it was a phonograph; I'd seen one before at a concert. I went over to see if it had a sound to accompany it. The phonograph was empty, which left me rather disappointed and curious. What would its use have been?

After admiring the phonograph, I walked on a little more until I came across a door. It wasn't nearly as intimidating as the first one that I'd encountered, but it still carried a spooky presence. I opened this door with much less effort than the first and went through it. The hall was incredibly dark, and so I reached into my bag and grabbed for my matchbox, swiping one of the little twigs against the side so that a flame ignited from the top. I placed it against the inside of the lantern, causing a rather bright light to show around the glass. Cobwebs were plastered to the brick walls, leading to the occasional spider to scurry across the floor or ceiling. I tried to ignore their presence, and for a while I stayed calm. Once I progressed further down, something on the wall caught my attention. There was an opening to a little room with a lever on the side of the wall.

"Hello? Anybody in there?" I called, and much to my disappointment, there was no response. I pulled the lever once, and a door on the ceiling started to open. I tugged it again, and the box dropped open, with nothing inside. "Strange…" I muttered to myself, walking on until I found another door. I opened it carefully, a sudden feeling of terror surging over me. When I stepped inside, I could see outlines of words on the walls. I shoved the lantern forwards to see if I could read them. Once I could recognize letters, I read the words out loud to myself to piece them together.

"For…give me. Forgive me?" I asked to myself, and went on to the next one. "I'm so sorry," I read aloud, and turned myself again to look for more. "Come back J… Just..? I can't read this…" I thought out loud, trying to decipher the writing on the wall.

"It says come back Justine," spoke a voice behind me that caused me to let out a scream. I spun around to see who was talking to me. The man who'd spoken wasn't Malo. He was a young man with fair skin and sandy blonde hair which he kept tied back with a ribbon. His clothes were filthy and tattered pretty badly, and rows of cuts were lined up his arms and his torso from what I could gather. He looked like he was in pain, but none of the cuts were currently bleeding.

"Who are you!?" I asked, shaking in fear at the man's presence.

"My name is Alois Racine, and I'm waiting for Justine. I heard a woman's voice and so I came to see if you were her, but no… If I ever saw Justine again my life would be complete! I love her, more than the others, don't let them tell you otherwise. I need her," he spoke, and I bit down on my lip to keep the facts I knew to myself. If Alois found out that Justine was dead he'd be destroyed. A sudden realization hit my mind while I pondered over his statement.

"The others? You mean, there are other men _here?_" I asked, hoping that he would be talking about Malo.

"Oui. There are two others here, but I don't like them, they're not very kind to me. There's the carpenter, and he's so cruel. He beat Justine and whenever I talk about her, he… he hurts me, you see," spoke the young man, tears welling up in his eyes. "By the way, what is your name, Madame?" he asked, and I shook my head.

"Mademoiselle, actually. And my name is Elizabeth Letellier," I introduced, and he smiled.

"Well, nice to meet you. Anyways, the other man has lost his mind… he broke his violin the other week and he's been rather insane. He used to be so great at the violin, I was always jealous of his talent," he explained, and my mind surged with joy. He had to be talking about Malo.

"The violinist… is his name Malo de Vigny, perhaps?" I asked, and Alois gave me a confused look.

"Why, yes. Were you a fan of his?" he asked, trying to figure out how I'd known so quickly.

"Something like that," I replied, and he nodded his head. "Where are they at?" I asked, and Alois pointed at a door on the other end of the room.

"They're over in our living space. There are a few rooms over there, a couple of beds, some space to breathe… I'll take you so they know you're not anyone not to trust. Oh, and introduce yourself to Basile. He'll hear your voice and probably try to choke you," Alois informed me, and I just nodded and went along with it.

_"Not to be mean or anything, because I hate being mean to anyone, but don't you think this piece sounds a little off?" asked Claire, her politeness showing through the tone of her voice. Claire was never mean to anyone or anything._

_ "Well," I started, "I feel it's appropriate to state that the melody is moving a little uncomfortably fast for the likes of the accompaniment. Maybe, it should slow itself down a little," I spoke, and Malo turned and gave me quite a look. He'd taken the hint._

_ "Well maybe the accompanist should slow down itself instead of speeding up with the melody. That was, the melody will know the accompaniment is trying to resist the change in speed," he replied, and I smirked._

_ "I feel as if the melody would continue pushing its speed to get what it wants out of the accompaniment. Picture the accompaniment as a fan of the melody, and whatever the melody says the accompaniment is going to want to comply!" I shouted, and Claire started to look uncomfortable._

_ "I get the feeling that this isn't about music anymore…" she squeaked, her voice going rather quiet towards the end of her observation, and Malo stood tall, slamming his fists down on the music stand._

_ "Well maybe, the accompaniment shouldn't leave itself so open!" he retorted, and I stood up from my bench._

_ "Are you calling me a slut!?" I boomed, and Claire buried her head in her hands._

_ "Well I don't know, Elizabeth. I'd known you for how long before you decided to make love to me?" he shouted back, and I gave him a glare._

_ "I could ask you the same," I responded, and Malo shut his eyes, shook his head, and gave a narrow smile._

_ "You're adorable," he spoke, and I bit my lip to keep from going off on him. "Would you like to finish out this argument in your room?" he suggested, and knowing what I should have said, I made an irrational decision._

_ "Fine, Malo. Let's go," I answered, and we walked off to my room. Even Claire knew we weren't going to argue._

**Author's Note: Ok, I rushed this chapter too. For shame, for shame! Well, we know Malo's alive, yaaay! If you would have read the summary you would have known that so don't even say that I rushed to give you that information -_-. Ok, so yes Elizabeth is kind of a slut right now… I did that on purpose, so cool your jets! Haha, enough of me being mean! Sorry it took so long for me to post chapter two, that took like a month… I have been so busy with school, finals, and my family! Please don't be angry! I may have chapter three up today or tomorrow, but no promises, none at all! Please continue reading, and review! Tell your friends about it, and give me your feedback! I'll love it a bunch! Until next time, au dieu!**


	4. 3 Quite the Surprise

_Malo's weight was heavy against my own, his mouth pressing against my throat as I threw my head back. "Malo, stop," I murmured, and he looked up at me, stopping his kissing to listen. "It's morning, we need to get ready to go and rehearse," I explained, and Malo turned on his back and sighed._

_ "Really? I think we have enough time," he suggested, and I got out of bed to get dressed. "Come on," he begged, and I finished tightening up the top of my dress._

_ "Non, Malo. We need to rehearse, we shouldn't be fooling around here," I spoke, brushing out my hair. He got up and picked out his clothes for the day. _

_ "Okay, I get it. I enjoy rehearsal. You're very talented," he spoke, and gave a real smile. I smiled back, and thanked him. It was nice to hear a genuine compliment from the violinist._

The room was incredibly dark, and seemed empty. "Where is everyone?" I asked, and Alois shrugged.

"I wouldn't know," he answered. As soon as he'd spoken, a loud bang sounded from the back of the room.

"Oh hell, that better not be Justine I hear. I'll rip your head off, you stupid bitch!" shouted the deep voice of a male. Soon enough, a well-built man with short brown hair appeared from the hallway. He looked around at everything, trying to pin where the noise was coming from. As he continued to look around, I noticed that his stare was blank. The man was blind.

"Monsieur, I'm not Justine! My name is Elizabeth and I'm here for Malo," I spoke, causing the man to spin around.

"You're here for Malo?" he asked, and I nodded ,then realized he couldn't see me.

"Yes, I am. Please, I'm not Justine. I'm a friend of Malo's," I explained, hoping that he'd leave it alone. The man scowled and shook his head.

"Fine. Just stay the hell away from me, you got it? Come near me and I swear to God, I'll strangle you," he growled, and I kept silent.

"Basile can be a bit of a jerk sometimes… I'll help you look for him. I'm the sanest around here, I promise. Justine loved me most; I was the only normal one. I was perfect for her," he spoke, and I felt slightly uncomfortable. The fact that Alois was calling his apparent obsession sane in comparison to my lover bothered me. Walking through the room, the shrieks of a violin being plucked sounded through the space. Alois called out for Malo, and we stood and waited for a reply.

"What is it, Alois?" a familiar voice answered back. I let a smile rise to my face; I loved hearing Malo's voice.

"Malo, there's a woman here to see you," he explained, and I could hear movement from the back of the room.

"A woman?" he spoke, and from what I gathered, he set his violin down rather roughly. "Is she Justine? Or a prostitute?" he asked, and I shook my head.

"Malo, it's me," I called back, and I could hear Malo getting up to come forwards. When he came into my range of vision, I was overwhelmed. His eyes were still beautiful, his face still handsome. This was the man who stole my heart.

"Elizabeth, you look incredibly tasty, I could simply eat you right up," he spoke, a sly grin on his face. I rolled my eyes. How did I not expect something like this?

"I see that your sex drive hasn't toned down one bit, Malo. I would have thought that over a month or so, it would," I replied, and Alois nudged my side with his elbow to get my attention.

"Um, Elizabeth? I don't know how you and Malo talked, but I've been living with him for a while now and… He's not flirting with you. He literally wants to devour you," whispered Alois, and I choked a bit. "Malo's gone out of his mind. He's a cannibal, Elizabeth."

_"Are you ready for the recital, Elizabeth?" Malo asked, and I looked up from my book to speak to him._

_ "It's a week away, yes I'm ready," I replied, smiling as I closed my book. "Are you ready?" I asked, and he grinned._

_ "Of course, darling. I'm a violin virtuoso, music is my passion! Performing is wonderful!" he boomed, taking a bow. I laughed a bit; Malo had a lovely sense of humor sometimes. He picked up his wineglass and took a sip. Malo loved wine, almost as much as he loved music. He set it down on the nightstand and gave me a kiss on the cheek. "I'm sorry if I did push things with you, Elizabeth," he apologized, and I smiled._

_ "You're fine. I like your company, Malo. I feel a little better waking up with you in the morning," I spoke and he kissed me gently on the mouth. I kissed him back, gently at first and then with growing intensity, pulling my arms around his neck when he put his hands on my waist. I could feel his lips parting against my own while his tongue slid between my teeth; I loved kissing him. "Malo… maybe we can just sleep tonight? Nothing against you, I promise. I just… I should probably get some rest," I murmured, my mouth still close to his. He smiled and planted a soft kiss on my lips._

_ "That sounds fine, Elizabeth. Sleep is fine with me," he spoke, lying down on his back. I stayed next to him, resting my head against his chest. I shut my eyes, knowing I needed to get some sleep._

**Author's Note: Ok, I promise that I didn't mean to postpone the posting of this piece (alliteration !). My internet hasn't been working, the router is "not connected" which is B.S. because the blue light is on -_-. Ok, so chapter four should be up soon(ish). Oh, aren't we proud of Elizabeth, she didn't slut it up today haha. Anyways, keep reading. I haven't much to say. Until next time, au dieu! **


	5. 4 Old Face, New Mind

_"Guys, I think you sound beautiful!" squealed Claire, smiling broadly after Malo and I had finished playing. "I've never heard you play better than this, Elizabeth! Monsieur de Vigny is really a good influence on your music!" she exclaimed, and I smiled. Malo may have been a good influence on my musical ability, but he had set quite a bad example in my personal life. _

_ "Thank you very much, Claire," I spoke. Not only was Claire always there to take care of the estate and provide positive feedback, she was my go-to therapist as well. _

_ "I got you guys something. Since you guys will be reciting in a little under a week, I decided to bring in Monsieur Devon Quintin. He plays violin like you, Monsieur de Vigny. I've heard he was a renowned musician back in his youth and now he serves as a critic!" she explained, and I smiled and turned to Malo._

_ "Isn't that great, Malo? We get to play for a critic! What great practice!" I exclaimed, and Malo seemed to be staring off into space. A blank expression was plastered across his face, and he swallowed rather loudly._

_ "Yeah, sounds great," he muttered, and turned to Claire. "If he'll be here tonight, I have time to go prepare, right?" he asked, and a confused Claire nodded. "Ok, that's good. If you'd excuse me ladies, I'll be off for the rest of the day. Don't fret, I'll be back in time for the performance," Malo announced, and left the hall. _

"Malo..?" I whispered, taking a closer look at the man. His skin was quite pale compared to when I'd last seen him, and a bit of blood stained the corner of his mouth. There were dark bags under his eyes. His nails were bitten down to nubs and his hands and arms were covered in deep crescent shaped gashes; they were bite marks. "You look… oh my God what happened to you…" my voice went hushed, and my eyes widened.

"Elizabeth… come here, let me taste you," he spoke, a cackle accenting the end of his sentence. I gulped in fear, knowing that Malo had changed for the worst. "Elizabeth, don't be afraid of me, I just want a bite," he cooed, an eerie sing-song tone edging his voice. I backed up.

"I don't know what's happened to you… Malo, stop, you're scaring me," tears welled in my eyes as I spoke. I loved Malo de Vigny, a talented, romantic violinist with a taste for wine; not a mentally insane cannibal with a taste for people.

"What's wrong, darling? Don't want to join me for dinner?" he asked, tilting his head to the side and letting out a terrible cackle. I shut my eyes and took a deep breath.

"Malo, I don't know what she did to you, but it's me, Elizabeth Letellier. You know who I am, I'm just not sure I know who you are right now," I explained, and Malo licked his lips.

"You look like you'd stop me from starving. You know, I grow tired of my own flesh," he spoke in the same high pitched voice he'd been using, and I looked at the floor.

"Malo, I know you. Remember the nights we spent together? Remember the piano? We had a life, Malo. Try to remember, Malo. Please, try your hardest!?" I asked, and he stopped twisting his head around to think. For a moment after he'd thought a while, I saw the Malo I used to know in his eyes.

"Stay away from me Elizabeth, I'm a monster!" he cried, and I could see that Malo was struggling. I bit down on my lip to keep from crying out. I knew I shouldn't want to go to him, but it had been too long since he'd held me in his arms.

"Malo…" I spoke in a whisper, reaching out a hand and placing it on the side of his face. Almost immediately, he clamped down on my thumb with his teeth, causing me to jerk back in pain. I looked at my finger and inhaled sharply, closing my eyes to keep from tearing up. My thumb had skin torn back on it, and was bleeding with mild intensity. I looked at Malo, and he seemed rather satisfied with his recent behavior. A toothy smile was stretched across his face; the blood from my finger ran across his bottom lip, staining his teeth as well. He gave a quick laugh, and stopped when he saw me. His laughing turned to silence upon glancing at me.

"Oh God, Elizabeth… What have I done… don't touch me, dammit," he ordered, and I nodded. I was going to cry. Why had I fallen in love with a man who had a serious problem like this? I knew musicians were all a bit crazy; I wasn't the sanest person out there. I never thought the insanity of an artist would ever reach this level.

"I take it you found out lover boy won't play nicely?" asked Basile's voice in a rather sarcastic manner. I scowled, and was glad he couldn't see the disgust on my face.

"Shut the hell up, Basile. I can get better, eventually. I can do it, I don't have to screw up my life like you did," retorted Malo, and Basile stomped his foot.

"You little shit, I swear to God, one more smart-ass remark and I'll bash your head into the wall!" shouted Basile. Malo put his index fingertip to his lips and started to grind the tattered skin between his front teeth. I watched in disgust, knowing intervening would do me no good, but I knew I had to try.

"Malo, stop that right now," I spoke, trying to sound assertive but failing. He continued to gnaw away at his flesh. "I said," I spoke, placing my foot firmly on the ground, "stop chewing on your finger, that's not good for you, or for the rest of us." Malo let his finger drop from his face at the sudden anger that rose to my voice. "I'm going to try to help you, Malo. I understand that you've lost it, I don't want to believe it… but I see it. I don't want it this way, okay?" I explained, and Malo just looked at the ground like a shamed dog.

"I said stay the hell away from me, Elizabeth. What don't you get about that?" he asked in a murmur, and I put my hands on his shoulders.

"Malo, I want to fix you. I don't like this, and I want to make it better. Try and go along with it," I spoke, planting a quick and cautious kiss on his cheek before leaving the room. I didn't even know what type of hell I'd gotten myself to face. All I knew was that the man I had encountered wasn't Malo. I was determined to change him back.

_"Malo…we did... great," I mumbled between kisses, trying my hardest to multitask between a conversation and personal pleasure. _

_ "I know," he spoke before kissing my neck rather roughly, his hands against the wall on either side of me. I moved my hands up to his neck, unbuttoning the collar of his shirt and eventually finishing up the buttons and taking it off. _

_ "Why were you so nervous about the critic?" I spoke in light breaths, trying to maintain my composure enough to speak. I ran my fingertips over his arms, and stopped at a raised mark. "Malo, what is that?" I asked, pushing him back a bit to have a real conversation. I kept taking my fingers over his arms, my hands revealing more marks on his right hand. I took a look down at his arms and a surge of shock swept over me. Malo's right forearm was covered in bite marks; not incredibly deep, but deep enough that a few had darker red spots from where they were bleeding. His nails were torn halfway off and the beds were dark pink, they looked sore. "Malo, what happened to you!?" I asked, a tone of concern present in my voice._

_ "Nothing," he replied, and I rolled my eyes. "Um… I got bit a few times," he explained, and I placed my hand on his arm, tracing over a few of the marks with my fingers. Malo shivered, pulling his arm back. _

_ "What did this? Did you run into a rabid animal or something? Malo, what happened!?" I cried, and he looked away from me._

_ "Elizabeth, I did this to myself, okay?" he answered, and I was overtaken by confusion. Malo could see that I needed an explanation. "I bite my nails when I get nervous, and then that starts to get uncomfortable… I can't bite my nails when they're run down like this. I started biting my hands and arms as a child… it's a long story but it all comes back to the fact that I'm terrified of people telling me I don't play well," he explained, and I let my jaw drop a little._

_ "What!? Malo, you play so well! Why would you be afraid, people love you! You shouldn't be terrified like that, look at yourself! You're going to destroy your arms! How do you play like this?" I asked, truly concerned by now. He smiled._

_ "I only use the bow with my right hand; I can't press the fingerboard with gnawed down fingertips," he answered, and almost immediately I threw my arms around his neck and buried my head against his shoulder. He held me around the waist and gently kissed my forehead. _

_ "You said there was a reason why you did this? I have time," I murmured, and Malo pulled back to look at me._

_ "Ok, I'll tell you. But can we sit down first, I'm tired of standing."_

**Author's Note: Again, super sorry for the wait! This chapter was finished on 1/4/13 at 1:31 p.m. Chances are, it will be posted on Saturday or Sunday at a later time. Oh, you guys get to find out why Malo bites himself soon~ my friend and I came up with this over the phone one time (she and I discuss my stories probably too often). So uh… I don't really have much to say. Oh! Too my fans, my deepest apologies for not getting back to my fan(s?) in reply (sorry to DysfunctionalDragon, specifically.) Read, Review, give me feedback! Until next time, au dieu!**


	6. 5 Emotional Wreck

_"When I was a little boy, my parents bought me a violin. My mother was a cellist, my father played violin. He wanted me to be like him," he started, and I laid down next to him to listen in comfort. "They would make me practice for about six hours straight each day… it was a bit insane. For a while, they encouraged my playing, even if I wasn't playing very well. Well… they started to get strict, about the first year in. When I'd play a piece poorly, father would give me a good thrashing. That didn't seem to work too well; I still would make mistakes sometimes. I was only a child, I wasn't meant to be a professional at ten years old! Father decided it would be best to start sending me to bed without dinner. For a while, it was no big deal. However, I would often be dinnerless for weeks at a time, and I got beyond hungry… I started biting my hands. Not to gross you out, but I'd tear my own skin off and I'd eat it, Elizabeth. Eventually, I started to play up to my father's standards, but I would occasionally screw up, and have to go without food. I started to tear my hands and arms apart whenever I didn't get food. Eventually, I just started biting myself whenever I got remotely nervous, or extremely bored… It's a terrible habit, Elizabeth. I should have been better, and learned to cope when I wasn't," he finished, and I could see him crying._

_ "Don't do it anymore, please. It's not nice for me to see you like this," I spoke, kissing him on the nose. He kissed me on the mouth, and I pulled my arms around his neck and kissed him back, letting myself give in to him again. I felt something real for Malo that night, while he told me his story, even when we decided to make love. Maybe this wasn't going to be a completely lustful relationship after all._

"Are you alright?" asked Alois, stopping my sobs. I shook my head, and he walked over and kneeled down beside me. "It's okay. I've lost the person I love too, so I can relate," he spoke, placing a hand on my shoulder. Instinctively, I threw my arms around his neck and started to sob again.

"_Love_ Malo? That's an understatement! I turned into quite an unpleasant bitch with him gone, Alois! He kept me _sane_! What happened to him?" I cried, and Alois gave me a friendly pat on the back.

"He got hungry, and he got lonely. I guess that can drive a man insane," he said quietly, and I pulled away from him. It seemed oddly awkward to embrace the stranger.

"I'm sorry, I need to gain my composure, Alois," I spoke, brushing my face off to rid myself of the tears.

"You're fine. I understand that people have emotions, unlike Basile and the Malo _we_ know now," he spoke, and I shook my head.

"Do you think he can change?" I asked, and Alois shrugged. Even he would have no idea what was going through Malo's mind.

"I don't really know, but I think you should try. It makes me kind of sad to see you like this, and we've just met. That's saying a lot," he spoke, and I smiled a little. I knew I shouldn't cry; nobody likes a person with too many tears.

"Okay, thank you. Sorry about the crying… let's not talk about this, okay?" I said, and Alois laughed a little.

"Alright, I won't say a thing about it," he answered, and I stood up to leave the room. I was determined now to fix Malo; if I couldn't I think I'd be empty for the rest of my life. When I got back out into the room, I saw Basile pacing around the room, trying to maintain himself from an outburst. Malo sat in the corner, plucking at the strings of his broken violin.

"Welcome back Elizabeth," grunted Basile, acknowledging that he knew I was in the room. Malo turned to look at me.

"Are you going to stay away from me, or what?" he asked, and I shook my head.

"Malo, I want things to be the way they were before…" I looked over him quickly, disgusted by the gashes on his skin. "I want to get rid of _this_ you, Malo. You were a wonderful person, you know that?" I asked, and he scoffed, turning away from me.

"If I was so wonderful, how come you couldn't love me?" he asked, and I swallowed. I didn't think it was appropriate to let him know now, but I figured it may be my closest step to saving him.

"I did love you, Malo," I spoke, and he stopped fiddling with his violin and directed his vision towards me.

"You loved me, and you told me you didn't, you couldn't, you never would! What the hell, Elizabeth!? I told you that if you would have loved me I wouldn't have left with Justine, and you told me you didn't! If you would have told me the truth, none of this would have ever happened, dammit! Now I know this is completely your fault!" he shouted, grabbing the neck of his violin and smashing it against the wall.

"See, nothing's good enough for you, is it? I tell you I love you and you go into some fit about how I should have said it earlier, can't you be grateful?" I retorted and he shook his head.

"Yeah, sure. I'm grateful that I spent every moment of the time you'd been gone thinking about you, only to be turned into a monstrosity because I drove myself crazy over your absence! Did you ever stop to think this wasn't about you losing me!? Maybe, it hurt me that you let me leave," he spoke, and let tears fall from his eyes. I felt terrible; I would have prevented everything if I hadn't lied to Malo the last time I'd seen him.

_That night while Malo slept, I stared up at the ceiling. I couldn't stop thinking about Malo's childhood story. The fact that he hurt himself made me feel disturbed; I didn't want to think of him in pain. _

_ In the morning, we slept in. I figured Malo could use a little bit of my presence before another potentially stressful day. It was nice being with him; I found just lying beside him in the silence to be more comforting than getting intimate with him after we rehearsed. Malo was a deeper person than I'd thought._

**Author's Note: I don't like this chapter… Ugh, too much drama, I don't like it! Oh well, it is needed drama to add up to the later chapters… They'll be great! Sorry for the poorly done flashbacks, and chapter content… I know this is totally cliché and all, but I **_**will**_** remedy this story! It's normally not this awfully written. Also, this chapter was finished the same day as four… Sorry to postpone posting this! For now, that's all. Until next time, au dieu! **


	7. 6 Trying Again

_ "Are you two nervous?" asked Claire, reaching out to fix my hair before she allowed us to go on stage._

_ "Claire, we're ready to perform, we've been practicing for quite a while now," I spoke, and she smiled and bounced on her feet a bit. _

_ "Oh, you two make me so proud!" she squealed, and upon catching the fact that we were truly ready, she smiled narrowly. "Well, I think I'd best be off. You two have fun out there, and make them want an encore!" she exclaimed; her way of wishing us luck. I turned to Malo after she'd left._

_ "You didn't overindulge yourself in the fine wines, did you?" I asked, and he shot me a smile._

_ "Did I have wine? Yes, I did, however I am not intoxicated. Relax, Elizabeth. I knew you wouldn't spend tonight with me if I were to ruin our recital in drunkenness," he spoke half-jokingly. He leaned in and gave me a quick kiss. "We'll be fine," he spoke, and turned to go out on stage. I grabbed his hand, and gave his arm a slight tug to turn him back towards me. _

_ "Roll up your sleeves," I spoke, and Malo shook his head. _

_ "Non, I will not," he spoke, trying to pull his arm loose. I took my hand and pushed the cuff of his right sleeve up, and sighed in relief. The marks from earlier that week had toned down considerably; no new marks had found their way onto his arm. "See? Nothing to be worried about," he spoke, kissing me again. I smiled after he'd pulled away._

_ "Thank goodness," I spoke, brushing a piece of hair out of his face. I planted a soft kiss on his nose. "Come on, let's go. The audience is waiting for a performance."_

"Malo, we need to learn a little something about forgiveness. Not just you… I need to learn this concept as well," I explained. Malo rolled his eyes at me.

"Well will you forgive me when I accidentally try to tear your face off with my teeth?" he retorted, and I shot him a glare.

"You need to quit being such a smartass, Malo. I got tired of putting up with this when you met Justine," I hissed, and Alois seemed to tense up a bit. Malo got up, and stood a few feet from me.

"What do you think you're going to accomplish with this forgiveness bullshit?" he asked. He was being rude, but it was much better than the side of him I'd seen upon very first arriving.

"I'm hoping to change you back by reminding you of how we used to be," I answered, and he smirked. He stepped closer to me, and I wanted to draw back. Instead, I remained in place.

"Okay, Elizabeth. Let me show you how this is going to work out. Honestly, I hate being this way. I don't enjoy being so rude to you but I'm going mad. Soon enough I'll have completely lost it, you see. I'll show you, watch. Do anything right now that you think is going to possibly bring back some light between us. Do anything, say anything, I don't care. Just, attempt to bring the old me out," he instructed, and after thinking for a moment, I decided to take a risk. I stepped forwards and laced my arms around his neck, waiting for his reaction of holding me around the waist which soon followed. I leaned in and kissed him on the mouth, trying at first not to gag on the taste of blood from his lips, and then simply ignoring it. I kissed him slowly and softly at first, occasionally parting my lips to keep the kiss going, and Malo placed his hands on the sides of my face and kissed me back with more intensity. Everything seemed to be going just fine, I thought, and so I slipped my tongue through his teeth and into his mouth. Our kissing grew more passionate, and I felt as if I were going to lose myself with him, everything was back to normal…

A sudden sharp pain surged down my tongue, causing my eyes to open immediately. I tried to scream, and realized that Malo had clamped down on my tongue with his teeth. I pushed against his chest, trying to get him to let go, but he kept biting harder, holding my face to his own with his hands. I battered my tiny fists against his chest, a stupid move against a well-built man. "Malo stop!" I tried to shout, but my words were distorted by the biting. Alois tried to intervene, tugging on Malo's arm, but he was ignored. Basile heard that something wasn't right, and came over to try and remedy the situation. He gave Malo a hearty slug to the side, causing him to remove his grip and fall to the floor on his rear. I stepped back, tears of pain welling in my eyes as my mouth seemed to fill with blood. I spat on the floor, watching in disgust as a stream of red leapt from my mouth, then spilled out over my chin. I looked at Malo, and noticed that he looked incredibly different. He was on the verge of tears.

"Oh God, Elizabeth…" he spoke, and extended his arms to hold me. Not thinking twice, I backed up to stand near Basile so I wouldn't get attacked again. "I… I'm so sorry… I couldn't help myself, I didn't mean to…" his words trailed off as he stood there silently, staring at me with eyes wide like a deer. I could see that Malo was not only mentally unstable, but his emotions were everywhere as well.

"It's not your fault," I whispered, wincing in pain as my tongue was forced to comply with the syllables. "You warned me, but I did it anyways. Blame me, please. It's my fault you're even like this," I explained, and he shook his head.

"If I'd have been a decent man, well… I'd have stayed at the hall with you. I'm so sorry," he spoke, and I shook my head until a realization hit me.

"Malo, before you bit me, I don't know if you realized that you let me kiss you, even kissed me back," I observed, and he tilted his head.

"Oh really, I didn't realize I had…" he spoke, trailing off in thought. His eyes seemed to light up. "I let you kiss me? That's great! I'm not completely insane, if I were I wouldn't have let you near me, Elizabeth maybe this will work!" he exclaimed, and Basile shook his head while Alois smiled. "Just… promise me you won't try and rush my progress. And if you can't save me, don't blame yourself," he said, and I smiled a little.

"Okay," I answered, and nodded at Malo. I wasn't going to try and go near him for a little while; I'd already learned my lesson with that.

_"That was marvelous, Monsieur de Vigny!" sounded a woman's voice from down the hallway. We had finished our recital, and some of the audience members had gone backstage afterwards to grab some wine and congratulate us. I sat over on the couch, conversing with a young female pianist who wanted to talk about playing techniques, but after hearing the woman call out for Malo, I decided to keep an eye on him from across the room. A young woman with extremely dark hair and a porcelain complexion approached him. I could see her introducing herself; Malo kissed her hand and took a bow. I felt heat rise to my face. I was always easily jealous, and seeing Malo flirt with this woman may very easily tip me over the edge. I thanked the young pianist for her time, and got up to go eavesdrop. _

_ "Monsieur, your playing is simply marvelous! Honestly, I found myself lost in the music, it was simply beautiful," she spoke, sipping her wine and giggling. _

_ "You're rather beautiful yourself," he spoke, his voice as smooth as when he's first met me. I bit my lip, a bad but effective habit to keep from shouting. "Don't let my politeness get to you, Mademoiselle Florbelle. I'm like this with every lovely woman I meet; after all, every woman deserves to feel like the most beautiful creature alive, am I right?" he asked, and I narrowed my eyes to slits. He wasn't being polite; he wanted to have sex with her. _

_ "Please, Monsieur, call me Justine. Oh, and I think it's preposterous that there's not a significant woman in your life… is there?" she asked, and before he could reply, I walked over to interrupt the conversation._

_ "Great job tonight, Malo. I'm glad we didn't lose our spot in the music; that would have been awful!" I spoke, laughing at the end of the sentence. Malo turned towards me and smiled, so I took the opportunity to give him a quick kiss. When I'd finished, the dark haired woman shot me an unpleasant glance._

_ "Oh, you're Malo's accompanist, right? Very nice job on your performance tonight; I could almost enjoy your part," she spoke, her voice colder than the one she'd used to speak with Malo. "My name is Justine Florbelle, and you?" she asked, and I forced a smile._

_ "My name is Elizabeth Letellier," I introduced, and a seemingly plastic puzzled look swept over her face._

_ "Letellier? So you aren't Monsieur de Vigny's wife? Then I assume you two are seeing each other? Or are you just a lover?" she asked, clearly being spiteful. I shot her an unwelcoming glare._

_ "That's enough for the night. It was a pleasure meeting you, Justine," I spat, shooting her a smirk and turning to Malo. "I think we should go to bed," I spoke, almost an order. Malo could see that something wasn't right with me, and nodded his head._

_ "Well, Justine. It was truly a pleasure to meet you. I assume you'll be attending the encore recital next week?" he asked, and I wished to revoke that invitation._

_ "Well, I'll try to stay away; I should probably be tending to my faithful suitor Alois, but… I will probably be here to see you," she said, letting out a dainty laugh at the end of her sentence. She turned to leave. "Alois, darling? I'll be leaving the hall, ready up my horse and trap, will you?" she called, and walked off down the hallway._

_ That night after everyone had cleared out, Malo and I had decided to sleep together to celebrate the successful performance. I didn't speak a word of Justine that night, but thoughts of me reaching out and slapping her across the face filled my mind, each one causing me to smile a little. I'd made myself a new enemy tonight, and I didn't like that one bit._

**Author's Note: I loved this chapter… I don't know why, but writing the part where she was getting tense towards Justine was incredibly fun to do! I could picture them getting in a catfight over Malo (if this wasn't the 1800's, they totally would!) I actually enjoyed writing the part where he bites her. It was kind of disturbing, but I like the way this chapter turned out. My goal is ≥1,000 words per chapter (greater than or equal to), and so far I've done great! This one's going to be EXACTLY 2,000 counting the A/N. Oh well! The story seems to me like it's getting better, but I don't know, I'm biased by default. This is my story; of course I'm going to think it's great! Well, tell me what you think, please! I may think it's good but you may think it sucks… so tell me! I want to know your feedback. Sorry for the long A/N, I want to make 2,000 words! So, for now all I have is keep reading, review, tell your friends, and until next time, au dieu!**


	8. 7 Newfound Problems

_"So, are you excited for the recital next week?" asked Malo, tying the laces on his shoes as I finished slipping on my heels. I frowned a bit at the thought of the contents of the crowd._

_ "Not particularly, to be quite honest," I replied, and Malo's jaw dropped._

_ "Now why is that, Elizabeth? You love playing, do you not?" he questioned, and I averted my eyes from his to look at my hands. Malo saw that something wasn't right. "Is it Justine that you're not looking forwards to?" he asked, his eyes narrowing a bit in displeasure when he asked._

_ "Well… yes. To be honest, I don't particularly enjoy Justine. I find her attitude and her general presence to be quite… disappointing," I concluded, and Malo shook his head and shut his eyes. He didn't laugh or smile along with the gesture._

_ "Justine is looking for suitors, Elizabeth. I'll see how things go with her the next time or two that we talk, and if all goes well I very well may consider it," he announced; this was new to me. I was furious, to say the least. Heat rose to my face, and I could feel an intense rage burning in the back of my throat._

_ "Why would you possibly wish to marry Justine!? She was so cold to me when I first introduced myself, and she already has a "faithful suitor". Why not let him marry her? I mean, not that I care if you marry off to some woman, but why someone like her!?" I shouted, surprised at my own intensity._

_ "You don't even know Justine," he replied, his voice rather quiet when he spoke. I clenched my fists._

_ "You don't know her either, Malo. I know that I don't like her. I think there's something wrong with her head, Malo. I think she's greedy, rude, and just plain out wrong for you," I blurted, hoping to get anything to change his mind._

_ "And I think," he spoke, standing up to go to the hall and rehearse, "that you're a jealous bitch. You said it yourself; we're not really in a relationship. We're just having sex, Elizabeth. You don't love me; you just love having me around," he finished, and turned to leave the room. I grabbed his arm, causing him to stop._

_ "I'm sorry," I whispered, and placed my hands on his chest, toying with the top button of his collar. He leaned in and kissed me, placing is hands gently on the sides of my face. I felt bad for using the fact that he was a man and that I was an attractive woman to apologize, but I couldn't use the truth. Maybe, I was really falling in love with Malo._

Instead of sleeping, I just sat up on the mattress, not wanting to sleep alone in this place. I buried my head in my hands and let out a sigh. My tongue was in an incredible amount of pain, but I tried my best to ignore it. I must have sat around for an hour or so, but my attention was grabbed by a strange noise in the distance. It sounded as if someone were crying; sobbing quietly and trying not to make too much noise. I made sure that the men weren't sleeping around my area, and got up to go investigate. I walked on and the sound grew louder, and eventually I discovered the noise was coming from behind a door. I pushed it open, and saw Alois huddled up on the floor.

"Alois..? It's Elizabeth, are you okay?" I whispered, and Alois jumped a bit. He placed his arms behind his back and smiled at me.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he spoke rather hurriedly, and the clang of metal sounded from his general area. His hand made a thud against the ground, his fingers causing a dragging sound as he felt around for something.

"What do you have?" I asked, placing a hand on my hip. He pursed his lips and sighed, holding out his left hand. I noticed immediately that the tattered fabric of his shirt was stained wet and red; Alois was bleeding rather profusely. In his hand, he clutched a small silver blade. The edge was lit with red as well. Alois had been cutting himself. "Why..?" I squeaked, feeling a bit disgusted looking at his wounds. Alois hung his head.

"Justine Florbelle. You know who she is, yes?" he asked, and I swallowed to refrain from blurting out about her execution. I nodded my head. "I spend every moment thinking about her. When I hear your voice, see your face, I can't help but to see my beautiful Justine. It's because you're a woman, Elizabeth. Justine was perfect, she was the most amazing, beautiful, charming woman I'd ever thought imaginable… I loved her. I wanted to make her mine, but no! Of course my darling Justine was confused, so confused! She thought maybe more men could make her happy, but if she'd have given me more time…" Alois trailed off, taking the blade across his wrist. I tried to step forwards and take it, but he collapsed into tears. "I love her! Justine, I love you, dammit! I do this for you, please! Forgive me!" he wailed, burying his head in his hands, his fingers pushing up against his messy blonde hair. I walked over to him, kneeling down to his level of height.

"I'm truly sorry," I spoke, and Alois looked at me, tears streaming down his face. "I understand that she means a lot to you. Maybe she wasn't really worth all of your trouble," I whispered, trying to calm him down. That was a big mistake. Alois buried his face in his hands again, his shoulders shaking heavily from his sobs. I put an arm around his shoulder and let him lay his head against me and cry. I felt so bad for Alois.

"Basile abused her, you know that?" he spoke softly, maintaining his composure enough to produce audible words. I shook my head; this was new to me. "He thrashed her about. He hit her, punched her, bashed her head into things and called her hateful words…" he trailed off, looking up at the ceiling. "She said that she liked it, but I could see that he hurt her. Badly hurt her, Elizabeth. Ever since she blinded him… he's lost it, you know? Basile's always been a little hateful, but I think he's going out of his mind too… Are we all insane, Elizabeth?" he asked, his voice squeaking as he held back his tears. I shook my head.

"None of you are insane," I replied, "I just think you need a little help, that's all," I finished, and Alois smiled a little.

"Thank you," he whispered, and sat up. "A kind word can go a long way, I hope," he finished, and I smiled and got up to go to bed. Before I finally dozed off, I stopped and thought for a moment. Maybe Malo wasn't the only one who really needed some new guidance.

_"Sorry we were late to practice," I apologized, and Claire smiled._

_ "You're fine, I promise!" she squealed, rocking on her feet as I sat down at the piano. Malo held up his violin, readying the bow for playing. We ran through the first song in our recital list; inevitably we made no mistakes. "You sound wonderful, Elizabeth, Malo," spoke Claire, causing Malo and I to smile. Claire was by far the kindest person imaginable._

_ "Thank you very much, Claire," Malo returned, playfully taking a bow. I looked at Malo and smiled a little. He was truly handsome; he had soft, straight long red hair that fell over his face, framing his brilliant green eyes and inviting smile. He was well-built as well; he had the perfect amount of muscle, being not too scrawny but not overly buff either. He was truly gorgeous, and I suddenly found myself staring at him, lost in his appearance. "Elizabeth, are you alright?" he asked, and I snapped out of my trance._

_ "Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry, just got a little sleepy and zoned out," I replied. I was starting to feel incredibly drawn to him, far more so than when we'd first met. "So, do you think we've rehearsed enough today?" I asked, and Malo shook his head and laughed. "How about we run through the whole concert piece once, then we'll call it quits," I suggested, and so that was going to be the plan._

**Author's Note: Oh my goodness… this chapter is one where I like the chapter matter more than I like the flashbacks… Oh, and I have a pretty pathetic confession… I have not been proofreading. Well, I do once they're online, but simply… I'm too lazy to edit them. I may later, but I just felt like telling you. I apologize for stupid mistakes! Oh, this book is going to have some comedic twists to it, by the way. I don't want to write a TOTALLY drama piece. What fun is that? Sorry for the short chapter, the story will get better! Read, review, tell your friends, and until next time, au dieu!**


	9. 8 Torture Technique

_"Congratulations on another beautiful performance, Monsieur de Vigny! How can you possibly play that perfectly every time?" called a familiar voice from down the hall. I shut my eyes and shook my head, letting out a deep breath to stay calm. It was Justine. I kept a watchful eye on Malo, but I wouldn't invade on their conversation today. I watched as he gave her a quick kiss on the hand, and I secretly wished he'd bite it harder than he bit his own. "Where's Elizabeth at? I'd like to congratulate her on her playing, she sounded almost as magnificent as you did," Justine asked, and I bit my tongue. She didn't really mean that, even I could see through the plastic barrier._

_"Oh, she's over in the main room, probably having a drink or two and conversing with her admirers. I wouldn't be surprised; she seems to have as many fans here as I do myself. I'm just glad to have you here as a fan, Justine," Malo cooed, taking his champagne to his lips to take a sip, and I rolled my eyes. The way he was eyeing Justine was completely lacking in sincerity, but it was filll__ed with no less than sultry desire. He was practically foaming at the mouth, with locked eyes that resembled those of a hunting lion. I was overtaken by jealousy; why would Malo want Justine when I was already giving him what he desired? Justine started to speak quietly, and I couldn't make out the words she was saying, but I watched her posture. After she'd spoken, she reached up to Malo's ear and whispered something in it, smiling and pressing her lips to the side of his face after she'd finished. A hot rage burned through me, but I knew I had to keep calm._

_ "Mademoiselle Letellier, would you like anything?" squeaked the familiar voice of Claire from behind me. I kept my eyes pointed towards the hallway, and shivered in disgust. Justine touched the side of Malo's face, and planted a long kiss on his mouth before waving goodbye and heading over to meet a young blonde man, who had been looking for somebody (probably Justine, as he seemed settled when she came to his side). I wanted to drop dead at that very instant. I turned to Claire with a look of pain hiding beneath my mask of neutrality._

_ "Claire, darling… Can you bring me a few bottles of my stronger wines? I'll be in my room, but go to the wine cellar and retrieve them, please," I ordered with a sweet tone on my words, while Claire nodded and headed off to grab my drinks. Like Malo's biting, I had a few habits that I should have avoided, but always fell into. The first horrible habit was one I resorted to upon meeting Malo de Vigny. He was charming, talented, and gorgeous; why wouldn't I want to have sex with him every night I could? The second habit was one I tried not to run to, but it came creeping up in the darkest of times. Now, I wasn't trying to evade it; I was waiting for it to be brought to me._

I woke up to a thud right next to me and a hand over the side of my face, which were both lifted almost immediately after they were placed. "Who the fuck is in this bed!?" shouted the gruff voice of Basile, who wasn't expecting me to be lying down. I sat up quickly, the noise causing him to spin around to face me. "Who is that!?" he asked, a tone of irritation in his voice.

"It's Elizabeth. I fell asleep here," I explained, trying to keep composed. Basile wiped a hand down his face and groaned.

"Next time, fall asleep somewhere else. This is my cell, you bitch," he growled, and I narrowed my eyes and stood up.

"Well then why didn't you sleep here all night?" I asked, and he crossed his arms.

"I didn't want to sleep then. I'm tired now, so please get away from my cell," he retorted, and I shoved past him and left. I went out into the clearing, and saw Alois over by a smaller room, holding a tennis racket and running his fingers over the strings. Intrigued by his behavior, I walked over to see him.

"Tennis is harder than it seems. If you're playing against your enemy, you unleash your full fury on them to win the game. If you're playing against your friend, and they're not the best athlete, you feel sorry every time you score a point, but you know you have to keep playing to win. I know being a sports champion is nothing in comparison to being a musical virtuoso like you, or Malo, but it's still pretty important," he spoke, acknowledging my presence without turning around.

"I used to go watch tennis matches on weekends when I wasn't being forced to perform. I always found it fascinating, and wondered how athletes like you managed to play so flawlessly. I'm sure that's how people feel watching a musical performance, yes?" I asked, and Alois gave a quick nod.

"However there was one performance I saw that concerned me quite a bit. I'm sure you know what I'm referring to, considering that it had the potential to ruin your career as an accompanist," Alois recalled, and I shivered. I knew what he was talking about, and I tried every day to forget it.

"Well, that's in the past. Speaking of musical performances… has Malo been awake today?" I asked, wanting to know if I would be able to see him.

"He normally gets up early, so I assume he's up wandering around somewhere making a snack out of his arms," Alois answered, and I shook my head.

"Thank you, I'll go find him right away," I spoke, and went off to go look for my friend. After wandering the space for a while, a muffled sound caught my attention. I stopped for a moment to listen in, and shuddered when I got a clearer picture. The sound of loud slurping and chomping like a small child slopping down a bowl of soup was echoing throughout the area. I stood still for a moment, and then peered my head around the corner to catch a glimpse of what was occurring. Much to my surprise I saw Malo sitting in a corner with his right arm held up in front of his face while his left arm clutched a piece of his broken violin. He took the sharp-edged wood and pressed a pointed area against his flesh, pushing it through the skin of his arm and yanking it upwards. My stomach turned as he pulled the wood back, a slimy chunk of glistening skin and strings of muscle dangled from the edge, as blood dripped down off of his elbow and on to the ground, soaking the rolled up sleeve of his shirt. He put the piece of the violin in his mouth, slurping the flesh that fell from the side of his lip. He then took his forearm to his lips, tilted his head, and bit down, causing thin streams of red to trickle down his chin and cling to his lips. I shivered at the thought of having once kissed them. I let out a small cry, truly heartbroken by the fact that I was losing Malo. He shot his head up from his snacking, obviously having heard the squeak.

"Mon amour, is that you?" he asked, and I felt my heart swell. Malo had rarely called me "mon amour", considering he never felt it appropriate to refer to me as his love. I stepped over to see him, keeping my distance in case he struck again.

"Yes, it's me… Malo, don't do this to yourself, it's appalling," I whispered loud enough to be heard. He set down the bloodied chip from the shattered instrument and stood up, with his arms wide. I almost ran into his embrace, but almost immediately thought better. "Non, Malo. I will not," I spoke, shaking my head. He put his arms back at his sides after wiping the blood off of his lips.

"Why is that, mon amour?" he asked, a sing-song tone accenting his words. I looked him in the eye to answer.

"That's easy. I like being 'votre amour' not 'votre repas', Malo," I answered, and he gave a broad grin, exposing his bloodstained teeth.

"You're a smart, cautious girl, Elizabeth. Alois can't figure out why I wanted you back once I decided on Justine, but I think the answer's quite logical," he responded, and I shut my eyes and tried to keep from crying. "S'il vous plaît Elizabeth, don't cry over me. You love me, oui?" he asked, and I smiled and nodded.

"More than anything," I muttered, and he walked over to a wall, and grabbed something that made a metallic clanging sound when he pulled it down. I looked to see what it was, and I soon realized he had a wagon wheel in his hand. I was truly confused, but I knew he was going to explain.

"Justine had plans for us. If you think she's messed with our natural selves now, you are sadly incorrect. You see this wheel here? She planned to put one around each of our necks. It was a torture technique, a brilliant one if I may say so. With these around our throats we wouldn't be able to sleep. We'd have to roam in the night, thinking of all the terrible things _she_ put us through. Elizabeth, can you guess what I'm going to ask you?" he questioned, and I shook my head.

"To break the wheels?" I squeaked, and Malo laughed hysterically.

"No! Elizabeth, put this wheel around my neck, please! I'm losing my fucking _mind_! If you put this wheel through my neck, I'll have a new pain to focus on, I won't hurt you anymore! I hate to see you like this, I fucking _hate it_! Please, help me," he begged, his words choking into a sob as he finished his request. I was stunned to a hold at that very moment, as I reached out to put a hand on the wheel.

_As I threw my last bottle onto the floor, Malo came into the room. He seemed shocked to see me in my state of intoxication, and he slowly shut the door. "Bonjour, mon chéri!" I spoke, giggling as I finished my sentence. I should have felt a hint of stupidity about myself, wearing nothing but my lingerie as I waited for Malo to come pleasure me. _

_ "You, mon ange, have indulged yourself in too much alcohol," he observed, and I just giggled and laid on my back. Malo removed his jacket and scarf, hanging them on the door as he walked over to sit on the bed. _

_ "Malo, darling, there's no such thing as too much wine," I cooed, slipping each of his shirt-buttons out of their slots and removing his top. Malo placed a hand on my face and kissed me gently. _

_ "I think that there is such a thing, and you've crossed it. You reek of alcohol," he observed, and I kissed his neck harder than I would normally._

_ "Please. I can smell wine on your breath, don't even start with me. Besides, how is this any different from other nights?" I asked, pulling Malo down on top of me. He kissed my face where my jaw met my ear, and I giggled a bit. "That feels nice," I cooed, turning my head a bit to the side._

_ "Just… let's not argue about this, okay?" he asked, and I nodded in response, pulling at the buckle of his belt to start off our night._

* * *

_ "That was great," I spoke between heavy breaths as Malo rolled onto his back. I nestled myself against his body, pulling my arms around his middle as I laid my head against his chest. "You know, Malo, I love you," I spoke, shutting my eyes. Malo seemed to tense up, and I lifted my head. "What? I just said I love you, am I not allowed the privilege of loving you, Malo?" I asked rather sarcastically, and Malo looked at me._

_ "Elizabeth… I've never said this to a woman before, and I probably won't say it to another woman after this but… I actually think I love you too. Oh, think? No, forgive me. I love you, Elizabeth," he answered, and I smiled and kissed him once on the cheek._

_ "That's very sweet of you. Well, I'm going to sleep now. Hopefully I'll sober up by morning. Goodnight, Malo," I whispered, and he gave me a quick kiss to the forehead._

_ "Goodnight, mon amour."_

**Author's Note: Sorry I didn't post this EARLIER! I have been SOOO busy with school, it's painful! Ok, so I kind of liked the actual chapter, I definitely like the flashback. Alright, so Malo's losing it! He's got like, this split personality thing going on! Also, Elizabeth… we get to meet binge drinking Elizabeth, awesome… not! She seems like such a stupid slut sometimes… Way to trash my own character there, but in some instances, she does. Oh well, I hope you stay excited for the next chapter, rest assured that this story does get wonderful. ALSO, when I'm done, I'm writing a follow-up that isn't based around the biggest French sleaze-ball musicians ever. If I told you what it was, it'd be a spoiler ****. Well, please read, review, tell your friends, and until next time…. Au dieu!**


	10. 9 Declining the Offer

_"Good morning, mon amour," cooed Malo, as my eyes fluttered open and burned a throbbing pain into my skull at the light. I groaned and rolled on my stomach, not wanting to face the sunlight creeping in through my window._

_ "What did I do last night..?" I asked, and coughed a bit at the taste of alcohol that coated my tongue. Malo pulled his arms around me from behind, and placed his chin on my shoulder, giving me a quick kiss on the cheek._

_ "Well, we performed at a concert, and you went off after it was over. You were noticeably intoxicated when I came into the room, and you were lying on your back in your lingerie. Naturally, we made love and you uh…" he stopped, a light blush spreading across his face. I cocked my head, showing that I wanted to know what had happened. "You told me you loved me," he finished, and I froze. How could I let that slip? Thinking quickly, I shook my head and laughed._

_ "Now, you saw how drunk I was, yes? Tell me that you weren't stupid enough to believe it? Me, love you! That's preposterous! You are too quick with women for me to love, monsieur," I spoke, laughing until it hurt to breathe. I was sure I'd saved myself with that lie. I looked at Malo, and noticed something odd. The handsome violinist, who'd have normally laughed at a joke, looked slightly crestfallen. He gave a narrow smile and a rather empty laugh._

_ "Of course I didn't believe you, Elizabeth. Don't you remember? I told you not to rush yourself, because I was pursuing Justine's hand in marriage," he whispered, as if he were ashamed. I felt like I was going to vomit. Why couldn't I tell him the truth without taking in multiple bottles of wine?_

My hand trembled, causing the outside of the wheel to rattle against the floor. I looked down at it, cringing as I imagined it caught around Malo's neck, almost crying at the thought of him choking as he tried to sleep. He gave me a look of longing, begging me with his eyes to put him out of his misery and latch the torture device around his throat. Making a careful decision, I dropped the wheel to the ground, and it fell with a metallic clanging. "Non, Malo. I refuse to do this," I spoke softly, and Malo shook his head.

"Why, Elizabeth? Please, do this for me, I'm begging you. I'm not Malo anymore. I don't know who, let alone _what_ I am anymore. I'm going to be the death of you, and I don't want that," he pleaded, and I shook my head, strands of my golden hair falling in my face as I did so.

"I don't want to do this, Malo. I don't give a damn that you think you're hurting me. That time when you bit down on my thumb when I reached out to stroke your face, I could have cursed you, told you that you'd go to Hell; I could have run away and never returned! When I kissed you, and you tried to make a meal out of my tongue, I could have shouted at you, screamed all of these terrible things about how much I hated you, told you that you were a monster who had no heart, but… No," I started shouting, but my sentence finished off in a whisper. "I didn't do those things, because I love you, Malo. I don't mean a little bit, or just sometimes… I mean that I really, _really _love you. I hurt like Alois did when you left, Malo. I can't live with myself knowing I'm why you're in pain. You mean too much to me, and so with that…" I spoke, and kicked the wheel off to the side, sending it sliding into a wall with a thud. "I'm declining your offer to put you through this," I finished, and Malo froze. He leaned forwards as if he were going to approach me, but took a step back, realizing that he ran the risk of putting me in harm's way. I didn't care at this point, and decided to be brave. I walked over to Malo, placing a trembling hand against the side of his face. He didn't bite my hand, and he didn't push me away.

"Elizabeth… I can't do this. I can't hurt you, mon amour. I _have_ to change. Justine turned me into this, I can turn myself back. Why did I ever leave you…?" he spoke, and pressed his forehead against mine. He shut his eyes tightly, and his body shuddered a few times while tears streamed down his face. "I love you," he whispered, his voice shaky with his crying. I kissed his lips gently, holding his head in my hands as I did so. I could feel my own hot tears fall between our mouths, as well as his, but it didn't truly matter. After a few seconds that felt like hours, Malo pulled away, and shook his head. "I shouldn't chance it… I'll wind up hurting you again, Elizabeth. I can't touch you without causing you pain, I just know it," he explained, and I stroked the side of his face with my thumb.

"Then go ahead and hurt me, Malo. I feel like it'll be worth it," I answered, and kissed him softly once, and then pulled back so I could look him in the eye. "I think that we should go visit with the others, to try and take our minds off of… this," I suggested, and Malo wiped the tears off of his face and nodded.

"Sounds good to me," he replied, and we walked out of his cell together.

_"Mademoiselle, are you okay? Monsieur de Vigny has been practicing all day without you, are you ill?" asked the familiar voice of Claire._

_ "Where's Malo now?" I asked, wondering if I could speak with the person I despised and loved the most._

_ "He's been out with a mademoiselle Florbelle. He should be returning soon," she answered, and I found myself sobbing. "Elizabeth? Are you alright?" she asked, sincere concern present in her voice. I stopped my crying to talk to her for a moment._

_ "When he gets back, tell him not to come in here. Tell him that he is to sleep in the guest room tonight, please," I ordered, and hoped Claire wouldn't ask questions._

_ "Okay, I will do that Elizabeth. I hope you get to feeling better tomorrow, the rehearsal seemed so empty with you gone," she spoke, and left to walk back out and clean. I shut my eyes and tried to keep my mind off of Malo for the time being. The rehearsal may have seemed empty, but Malo was full of a happiness that I couldn't have._

**Author's Note: I don't know why, I found this chapter to be incredibly romantic, and pretty darn sad! Sorry that it was **_**so dramatic!**_** I just felt like I needed a dramatic chapter like this, and here it is! Sorry it was up so late, again. I've only been able to work on weekends. ALSO, sorry it was so short! I didn't want to drag on and on about "Oh Malo! I love you so much!" or "Oh Malo! You left me for Justine, now I'm depressed!" So, I wrote a short but (hopefully) effective chapter. Not much else, really. If you have any ideas for the story PLEASE PM me them, I may use them! Well, read, tell your friends, review, and until next time, au dieu!**


	11. Crude Humor

_"Monsieur Bizet is coming today!?" I heard Malo's voice from onstage. He must have been talking to Claire._

_ "Didn't I tell you? He stopped by while you were gone and Elizabeth was sick in bed, and he told me he wanted to see you again. You two are acquainted, am I correct?" she squeaked._

_ "Yes, Georges and I are very good friends, we've known each other since we were children. I'll go tell Elizabeth and we'll get ready to see him right away. We have a few hours, yes?" Malo answered._

_ "Indeed, Monsieur. You best be getting ready now," she finished, and there was silence. I braced myself to see Malo, and soon enough he'd come in. He tried to avoid looking me in the eye, which I found to be rather offensive._

_ "Elizabeth, Claire wanted me to tell you to get ready, Georges Bizet is headed over, and he's planning on meeting you," he spoke. His voice was cold, and I didn't like it at all._

_ "I'm not mad at you, Malo," I responded quietly, and he looked me in the eye. "I understand why you rather marry Justine. You want to be with a woman who loves you, after all, that's better than lust any day. I just overreacted," I apologized, and the lie I'd told made my stomach turn. I loved him more than I could possibly say, but I couldn't tell a man I loved him ever again. _

_ "Well I may be after Justine's hand in marriage, but I still would like to stay with you. I don't just mean at the conservatory, but you knew that. Elizabeth, I want to keep spending my nights with you, if that's too much to ask," he proposed. He had to be kidding, I thought. He had declared himself Justine's, and still he had the nerve to ask for sex? Without hesitating, I raised my hand and swiftly brought my palm across his face, with enough intensity that the slap was audible. Malo seemed to cringe._

_ "You can't be serious, Monsieur," I hissed, and Malo threw his hands up, and widened his eyes. "If you want to marry Justine, that's fine by me, but to ask for sex after you declare yourself hers? How dare you, Malo. You are a snobbish and selfish lecher, and none of those things are good," I finished, and he smirked, and put his hands on my waist. I recoiled at his touch, truly upset with him. As much as my body craved to give in to him, I knew that he was wrong to want me and vice versa._

_ "My deepest apologies, Elizabeth. Justine and I are no more than involved, and since you mean a great deal to me, I was assuming we could stay together. I can see that you dislike her taking me away, so why not take advantage of this? We can stay as involved as we were before any of this happened, mon ange," he pleaded, and I stopped to think. I really did want to stay with him, even if he wasn't fully mine. _

_ "Fine, Monsieur. I will continue to… keep you company during the night," I agreed, and Malo smiled and gave my forehead a quick kiss._

_ "That's the spirit," he spoke, and we both got ready for the day._

We walked out into the clearing hand in hand; having first made sure that the crying we'd done earlier wasn't noticeable. Alois was standing by the wall, bouncing a square of wood on a tennis racquet. He took one look at us and giggled.

"So I see you two are holding hands? That's lovely," he teased, which seemed to cause Malo a slight bit of discomfort.

"Yes, we are. And look Alois, I didn't bite an inch of her," Malo boasted proudly. Alois gave him a look that suggested annoyance, but not enough that Malo would see it.

"That he can see. Don't act like you two don't fuck, Malo. You've probably had a taste of every inch of her thighs and her breasts by now," shouted Basile from his cell. Malo smirked, and released my hand to cup his hands around his mouth.

"Basile! Why don't you come join us, be social. Regardless of if you can see us, we'd like to see you," he called, causing Basile to swing open his cell door and walk out.

"You're an obnoxious , pompous little shit! Just because you could bathe in gold doesn't mean you can be an ass!" he retorted, walking out to the clearing to join the three of us.

"I disagree. Anyways, Basile, you are correct. Elizabeth and I are _very_ close, aren't we mon ami?" he cooed, and before I could answer, Malo had already opened his mouth. "Indeed I have, but not in a way that requires biting, you see. As a matter of fact, I can proudly say she's… "tasted" me in the same way, isn't that right Elizabeth? You're better at it than I am," he teased, and I felt heat rise to my face. It was very inappropriate of Malo to say such things, and he and I both knew it. I wished that this conversation would have never started, and I wished that I could shut Malo up.

"Malo, that's highly uncalled for. Basile, you started this, but Malo… you just need to stop talking, right now," I corrected, and Malo snickered.

"Are you ashamed of me? Elizabeth, you can deny it all you want, but you still can't make it a lie," he countered, and I felt myself growing rapidly angrier with him. Basile looked frustrated as well, while Alois looked as if he were about to squirm out of his skin. His squeamish reaction made me think of Claire. "Besides, now that we're together and in love, we'll be at it again in no time. Sorry in advance, especially to Basile. She's quite the screamer."

"Malo, stop it _immediately! _If you say one more word about… I don't need to further elaborate, but I digress! If you open your ungodly trap once more, I will strike you with enough force to break your jaw!" I threatened, even though we both knew I was incapable of implying that much force.

"I never thought I would say this, but I actually preferred the cannibalistic crazy Malo to the boorish lecher that seems to have reappeared," Basile muttered, and I could hear Alois snicker.

"I'm sorry Elizabeth, I couldn't help myself. You're very familiar with losing self-control. After all, you always did give in," he replied, and I raised my hand to hit him across the face. He shot out his arm and grabbed my wrist before I had the chance. "Uh-uh, I don't think that's very nice of you," he spoke, giving my fingertips a quick kiss before dropping my hand. As much as I disliked his crass sexual jokes, I understood why he was making them. Malo was trying to fight one extreme with another, and he knew that to get rid of his cannibalism, he had to counter it with an appalling amount of sexual behavior.

"You're disgusting," I spat, and he smiled.

"Thank you. Now I'm finished with my fun, I'm truly sorry. I did not mean to offend you Elizabeth, please believe that. I don't suppose you're too angry with me, but I do suppose I'll be spending the night alone?" he asked, and I nodded. Malo let out a sigh. "That's what I thought. Oh well, there's always tomorrow for me to try again," he finished, and went off to his cell. As soon as he was gone, Alois burst out laughing.

"I'm sorry Elizabeth, I shouldn't laugh, but that was hilarious! I've never seen Malo get that crude before," he exclaimed, and I let out a slight chuckle. As humiliating as it was, and it was _very_ humiliating, it was funny. It was also a pleasant change from the Malo I'd first seen upon my arrival here.

_Georges Bizet was about Malo's age, in his mid-twenties. He was thin with dark curls, and quite the handsome young man himself. Upon seeing each other, Malo and Georges shook hands and patted each other on the back. They were smiling happily, and were clearly close. Malo gestured towards me with his hand and eyes, and Georges looked my way. As soon as he'd seen me, the two men walked over to me._

_ "Georges, I'd like you to meet Elizabeth Letellier. She's my accompanist, and she owns this conservatory," introduced Malo. I extended my hand, and Georges kissed it. I didn't blush the way I had when it was Malo. _

_ "You're quite lucky Malo, to work with a woman this beautiful every day," he cooed, obviously trying to get on my good side. I just giggled and smiled, hoping that my reactions would evoke a response from Malo. _

_ "Why thank you, Monsieur Bizet. I must say, I'm quite a fan of your work. I heard you were writing a new piece—"La rose et l'Abeille"? I'm sure it's lovely," I spoke, and he smiled._

_ "Actually, I've finished that. I've come to ask you and Malo to perform it at your next recital, actually. I'm sure you're capable of doing that?" he asked, and I nodded._

_ "Most certainly! I'm willing, but I think it would be best for you to ask Malo," I replied, and Malo stepped forwards._

_ "Georges, I've known you since we were children," Malo started, and Georges laughed._

_ "Yes, indeed. And what an adorable child you had been, Malo," he replied, and Malo snickered. The thought of Malo in his childhood made me smile._

_ "Of course we'll play it for you, on one condition," he answered and Georges nodded._

_ "You name it, and I will make it happen," he responded._

_ "It's only to be me and Elizabeth. No orchestra is to be with us," Malo explained, and I felt a slight bit curious._

_ "That is perfectly fine with me. It was truly nice to meet you, Elizabeth. I'll be staying in the guest room, your maid told me that would be okay. Just come get me if you need to talk, I ought to be unpacking my clothes," he informed us, and walked off down the hall._

**Author's Note: Okay everybody, I apologize. I haven't been posting this story in quite a while, and to be honest, it's a mix of me (mostly) being busy, and just plain out laziness. Anyways, I'd like to thank everybody who has been supporting my work, especially ChandlerBourdette! If you haven't yet, check out her work, she's very talented! Also, not to advertise, but I recently wrote a piece entitled "The Genius Next Door" and I think it would be worth your time to check it out, it's probably the best thing I've ever written. Sorry for the slowness of my updates, this story is **_**not**_** discontinued, it's still being written! Read, Review, Tell your friends, and until next time, adieu! (Thank you ChandlerBourdette for correcting my spelling of adieu, because I had no idea I was spelling it wrong… Shame on me!)**


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